The Stars Are Forever
by ekjd4etnty
Summary: A Roswell fan, are you? Then read this one!
1. author's note

Hey all! I wanted to say that this is the first of one of my longer fanfics!!! I hope you guys like it.

What you need to know. This is taking place right after End Of The World (the ep. With Future Max). Everything in the episode happened. Any questions, feel free to ask… Thanks!!! 

Oh, yeah, I own nothing, as I am a poor college student!


	2. Liz's Dream

**_ Chapter 1: Liz's Dream_**

_She nodded yes, _Max Evans thought. _I asked her, for the final time, if she'd slept with Kyle, and she nodded yes._ Granted, it wasn't much of a nod, but Max had see it. _How could she do this to me? _He thought. _To us? _Max put in the new Counting Crows CD that he had bought, and fell asleep listening to the lyrics, silently crying.

"Oh, no," Isabel Evans, Max's sister, moaned when she heard the music coming from the room next to hers. Max only listened to the Counting Crows when he was really upset about something. Or someone. _What has Liz Parker done now?_ she thought. _Doesn't she know how much Max loves her? Who could ever be so cruel as to break the heart of the one that loves you? And that you love back?_ She felt a pang of guilt. _Oh, _a little voice in her head replied, _like you did to Alex?_ Isabel told the little voice to shut-up. She really didn't need this right now. What she needed was to relax. She would go dreamwalking. Isabel lay down on her bed and let herself drift into the dreamplane. She slowly breathed in and out, relaxing as she did so. Within a few minutes she saw millions of dream orbs dancing around her. Upon finding herself there, she began to decide whose dream to go into. _Maybe Kennith's...or Joans...then there's always Bobby..._ Suddenly, a dream orb hit her in the back of the head. "Hey!" she yelled whirling around. She noticed that Liz's dream orb was right behind her. "Why are you so anxious?" Isabel asked it as she pulled her hands apart, expanding the orb so she could look inside. Isabel's breath caught in her throat. Liz was dancing with Max! An older Max, defiantly, but Max just the same. (He and Liz looked to be about 19.) _What in the world? _she thought, feeling all the love and emotion that poured off the two. Max and Liz were so absorbed in each other, that it seemed like the world was falling away, only to be replaced by a world of their own. Isabel noticed that they weren't in Roswell, and..._wait, who is that? _Isabel had been so transfixed on the couple before her that she didn't notice the people in the distance. As she focused on them, Isabel found herself looking at an older version of Alex Whitman, Maria DeLucca, Michael Guerin, and herself. Tess Harding was no where to be found. _Go Liz!_ she thought as she turned her thoughts back to the dream before her. Isabel noticed that there was a ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. The words Engagement Ring flashed in front of her eyes. She also noticed the ring that was on a chain around Maria's neck. Taking a peek at Alex, somehow knowing that the ring was from him, she found that he was looking at her dream self like she was his whole world. He rose and held his hand out to her. She saw herself rise and join him in the slow dance. _It's like the time I went into his dream to see if we could trust him. _She had found that they could. And, she still felt this way. If she was asked for the one person in the whole world that she trusted the most, excluding Max and Michael, of course, she would automatically blurt out Alex's name. Isabel shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and noticed that Michael and Maria were dancing, also, both looking so deep into each other's eyes that it seemed as if they were drinking each other's souls. The slow song faded out, only to be replaced by a fast one, and she soon realized that everyone had turned to the girl wrapped up in Alex's arms. She saw herself glare at the Jeep, the source of the music, and once again, it became slow and soft. Isabel quickly tore her eyes away from Alex when she noticed that Max and Liz both wore wedding bands. She looked at their clothing and was surprised to see that Liz wore a pure white dress, and Max a tux. She'd walked in on their wedding day! Feeling very out of place, Isabel woke herself up. _What just happened? I have to see Max! NOW! _She walked out her bedroom and knocked twice on Max's door. Not waiting for an answer, the dream-walker barged in. "Max!" she hissed, hitting him over the head with a pillow. Max woke up, and seeing the look on his sister's face, gave her his undivided attention. He said only two words: "Tell me."

Liz Parker was having that dream again. The one that she'd been having since she was visited by Max. Future Max. Liz had told herself that if she couldn't have her 'real' wedding, she could dream about it, right? And so, every night, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she dreamt of the wedding day that she and Max were supposed to have. The one they would have had. Liz liked to add a few things, like Izzy's engagement ring, and the promise ring that Maria wore around her neck. It was her dream and it could've been true, right? Liz had liked the Izzy-Alex relationship, and she had loved the Michael-Maria one. And, against all odds, it seemed like the Michael-Maria thing was starting up again. _Well, _she reasoned, _at least someone will be happy._ With that final thought, Liz Parker returned to her wedding day, and her life as Liz Evans, because she knew that this could only happen in her dreams. She and Max could only be together for those few short hours while she slept. And, she wanted those precious hours with her true love, the love of her life, to last as long as possible.

"Are you sure Iz?" Max asked. He wanted it to be true, but he still didn't believe it. "Our wedding day? Me and Liz?"

"Yes, Max! For the five-thousandth time; yes, your and Liz's wedding day." _Funny,_ she thought, _he always thinks that dreamwalking is an invasion of privacy, but when it comes to Liz...well, let's just say, the old rules never did apply._ "What do you think it means?"

"I honestly don't know," Max answered. Then, because he couldn't help himself, "And you were there? And Alex?"

"Yes, brainiac! Geez! And they call _me _the inattentive one!****I was there! Me, and Alex, and Maria, and Michael. We were _all_ there. And, Max, I was engaged. To Alex."

Max could hear the raw emotion in his sister's voice. He could hear the unshed tears, and he knew, in that second that she didn't just love Alex. Oh, no. Isabel Evans was _in_ love.

Isabel interrupted his thoughts. "What are we going to do, Max?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know."


	3. Questions And Answers

**_Chapter 2: Questions and Answers_**

Maria DeLucca walked down the hall to her locker on Friday morning, recalling her earlier (alien) encounter with her sort-of boyfriend, Michael Guerin.

"Hey, Spaceboy," Maria said before Michael captured her mouth with his. She slid her arms around his neck and his arms pulled her toward him. He left his arms around her waist and started caressing her lower back. Maria opened her eyes as the kiss ended, just in time to see Liz Parker, her very best friend in the whole world, walking swiftly down the hall, her head lowered. Maria gave Michael a quick kiss on the cheek and apologized with her eyes. _There is no time for the Eraser Room today,_ she thought ruefully, hurrying after the Liz. She caught up with her when Liz stopped at her locker.

"Hi, Maria. I don't want to talk about it," the dark-haired girl said without turning around.

"Got it, babe," Maria answered, starting for her own locker.

Michael Guerin took one look at Liz and he automatically knew something was up. _Oh, boy,_ he thought as Maria ran off after her, _here we go again._

Alex Whitman stared as a goddess walked down the hall. _Oh, man,_ he said to himself, _you've got it bad. _"Hey, Isabel, wait up," he called out to said goddess.

Isabel slowed down when she heard her name being called. When she realized that it was Alex who was calling her, she stopped. "Hey, Alex. What's up?" she asked as he caught up to her.

"Not much? You?"

"Well," Isabel replied, "not much either. So...what'd you do last night?"

"The usual," Alex joked, "hacked into the United States budget, had fun there!, set off a few nuclear weapons, even more fun!, robbed a bank, then..." he paused for effect, "I fell asleep in my Scooby-Doo pajamas."

Isabel laughed. _Wow! This has to be the first time I've really laughed since that day in the desert. _The day that Isabel had heard her destiny, and that of her brother's, Michael Guerin's, and Tess Harding's, was so heart wrenching that it seemed like so long ago. In reality, though, it had only happened right after school had let out. Less that three months ago. _And why are you laughing? _asked the voice in her head, the same one from the night before. _Could it be because Alex is still talking to you. And not avoiding you like the plague? _Izzy let the voice speak. She knew it was right, so why fight it? "Alex," she said, out loud this time, "can we talk? Please?"

_Oh,no, the last time she wanted to talk, she ended up breaking my heart. _Still, Alex followed his goddess, into the Eraser Room.

On his way to History, Michael noticed Isabel and Alex go into the Eraser Room. He smiled to himself. Things were good. He and Maria were together, and oh so _good_, and if things were going the way he had expected once he saw the former love-birds enter the Eraser Room, soon Izzy and Alex would be back together, too. _So, class, what's wrong with this picture? _He questioned. _Oh, right, Max and Liz were barely talking! Figures, Max was the one with the soul mate, the one with the stable relationship, the one who started everything, and it blew up in his face. _Michael didn't believe that Liz had slept with Kyle. No one could be _that_ desperate. He just wished he knew what was going on in her head. _Why did I have to stop Max that day in the desert? Was it because I knew that it was for the best, and that Max and Liz did, too? Or was I being selfish? Did I want to know about myself so badly that I made my best friend sacrifice true love, and true happiness? Only one way to find out._

"Hey, Michael, where are you goin'? Class is about to start!"

He had heard Cassy call out to him, but he ignored her. He needed answers. He had no time for class. He had to see the one person who could set him straight.

"So, Isabel, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Alex hoped that this wouldn't take very long. The Eraser Room was the place that they had had their first official kiss as a couple. He couldn't stay in here for very long without touching her.

"Alex," Isabel began softly, "I've been thinking...a lot...about us..."

_Woah,_ Alex thought. _Did she just say 'us'?_

"...and I...I think...no, I know...that I was wrong for breaking up with you...I...I want to get back together... with you...I mean, if that's ok with you...if that's what you want."

_Is it ok? Is it ok?! Does she think I'm an idiot or something? How could I not want to get back with her? _Alex thought, trying to get everything straightened out in his mind. Suddenly, he was kissing her. And she was kissing back.

"Does this mean yes?" Izzy asked hopefully, searching his eyes as she came up for a breath. Alex answered by kissing her again, forcing all the questions out of her head.

_This has to be the best day in my life!_ They echoed each other's thoughts.

Maria, and the rest of the class, looked at the door when they heard someone knock on it. Michael stuck his head in, "Can I see Maria DeLucca for a minute? Please?" He had asked the teacher, but looked at Maria the whole time. The teacher nodded his head after a moment, and Maria slid out of her seat and walked out the door.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Am I a totally selfish, doesn't-deserve-to-live person?"

Maria pretended to think for a minute, and with her head tilted to the side and a concealed smile, said, "Yes."

"Really?"

Maria heard the desperation in Michael's voice. She heard him begging her to say 'no', and she realized that this wasn't a game. Michael wasn't teasing her. Maria quickly became serious, and answered him flat out, "No... What would ever make you think something like that?"

"When I saw Liz this morning, and how horrible she looked, and whenever I see Max and how much he wants to hold her again, to be near her, I feel horrible. Like it's all my fault." Michael looked up at the ceiling, moving his eyes back and forth, hoping the tears wouldn't spill onto his cheeks.

"How could that be your fault?" Maria asked. She knew what was wrong with Liz. That day, well, night really, by the water fountain had answered all of her questions. She knew why Liz had 'slept' with Kyle, and she knew how much it had killed her to see that look on Max's face. Maria had wanted to tell Michael, and Isabel, and Alex, and, _admit it,_ she thought, _the real person you wanted to tell was Max. You still want to tell him. You want to erase all their pain, you want them to be happy._ But, she knew she couldn't. She could never let anyone know. If she did, it would be the end of the world-literally! And that was something she, and Liz, couldn't live with: Being the person that caused the world to end. Liz had made the ultimate sacrifice-her happiness, her life, Max. _All I have to do is keep one little, ok, one big secret. I can do that._ Maria glanced at Michael. She repeated her question, "How could that be your fault?" _If it's anyone's fault, it's Max's...sorta._

"Do you remember that day after we rescued Max from Pierce and the FBI?"

"The day you heard your destiny...yeah. What about it?"

Michael took a deep breath, "After Max...and Izzy...and Tess...and Liz...and I heard the destiny that Max and Izzy's mother told us, Liz broke up with Max-"

"I know."

"-and when she left the pod chamber and ran down the mountain, Max tried to go after her. I...I..I held him back...I mean, what could I do I thought it was for the best I only wanted to learn more about my future...about my past and I felt drawn to Tess and Nasedo and now he's dead and Tess is living with Kyle-what's up with him and Liz by the way- and the thing with Valenti and him learning our secret really freaked me out and...and..." Michael stopped babbling and fell into Maria's arms, crying uncontrollably.

"Shhh. Shhh." she whispered, making circular motions on his back, calming him.

Michael attacked the tears that streamed down his cheeks, as if ashamed of them, and said to Maria, "I don't know what I'd do without you," and, bringing tears to her eyes, he continued, "Maria, before we went to the pod chamber last year, you asked me how I could push you away, and I said, 'Maybe because I love you too much.' Well, I was wrong. And I want to tell you now, there is no maybe. Maria DeLucca, I love you. I am in love with you. And I'm falling more in love with you every day. I'll never love anyone as much, and I never have. Please, Maria, tell me what's wrong with Liz...please, Maria, you have to tell me, because I love Liz too, not the way I love you, but I do love her. I _have_ to know what's going on. Please."

"You know what?" Maria asked, "I think we better get back to class..."

"Maria! I know you know what happened! I know Liz didn't sleep with Kyle! I know she lied to us, and I know that it's killing Max! It's killing him! And you don't even care, do you?"

If Michael had said that to anyone else, they would have been speechless, but, then again, this _was _Maria. "How can you say that I don't care?! Huh! How could you even _think_ that I don't care?! I see Liz everyday! I see her cry! And cry! I see her space-out whenever something related to Max is said, or happens! I see the look in her eyes when the door to the CrashDown chimes! I see the hope there...hope that it's Max and that he'll forgive her! Or even look at her! And then I see the light in her eyes fade when it's not Max! Or when it is Max, and he won't even look at her, I see her run to the back, trying to get there before the tears fall! I see the look in her eyes when she sees us together, and how happy we are! And I see her cry-again! So don't you _dare_ tell me that I don't care! Because I see it in Max too. I see the looks of loneliness and of tears! I see the looks of betrayal that he throws at Liz when she runs out of the room! And, believe it or not, I see him cry! A lot! I see that faraway look he gets in his eyes when Liz is brought up! And I see the pain! So, don't you dare say that I don't care! What...you think you're the only one who sees these things?! That Max is the only one who is hurting?!"

"Maria," Michael choked, "I'm so sorry. But if you don't want to see that again, see Liz cry and Max's pain, you have to tell me what happened. All I know is that Liz supposedly slept with Kyle. And that's what the rest of the school knows, too. Don't you think that I should know what really happened? So I don't have to wander what 'really' happened...So I can get everything straightened out in my head? Please, Maria, please tell me."

Tears ran down Maria's cheeks as she stepped away from the man she loved and lied to his face. "Liz slept with Kyle...I'm sorry...I have to go..." she said, leaving him standing there as she ran back to class.

Liz ran her hands under the cold water, and, catching some, brought it to her face. She repeated this until she was sure that all the redness and puffy-ness was gone. She'd been crying. Again. _Biology is just too hard, _she thought. _Why does Max have to be in my class? Why does he have to be my partner? Why does Tess have to sit right in front of us? Things are just not fair...At least I didn't breakdown in class, though. _Liz heard the bell ring. _Lunch,_ she thought automatically. Liz walked out of the bathroom and to her locker. When she opened it, she noticed a note on the top shelf.

**Liz- **

**I'm so sorry. Michael keeps on** **asking me what really happened with you and Kyle. I don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret...I'm worried about you...we all are...Please call me tonight, ok? **

** LYLAS- Maria **

_LYLAS? _Liz laughed to herself,_ we haven't used Love Ya Like A Sister in so long..._ She quickly became serious, _Oh,no...I have to talk to Maria...I just hope she doesn't tell Michael before I talk to her...That boy is getting too nosy, and I won't be able to stop Maria, she can't keep anything from him. Maybe we should tell him...and Alex, the last time we hid something from him, it turned out that it was easier when he was on our side. Maybe... _Liz Parker headed off to lunch, unaware of the people who whispered her name, and Max's, and Kyle's, behind her back.

Max had sat through Biology, sat through hell. Liz had barely looked at him, and Tess wouldn't stop.

_She thinks that just because Liz betrayed me and 'had sex' with Kyle, something between us could get started._ Max thought, as their teacher began the lesson, just before he shot a look of pure hatred at Tess, who got the hint and didn't turn around for the rest of the class. _But it doesn't. I still love Liz. I never stopped...I never will._

Remembering that, Max decided to talk to Alex._ Maybe he knows something,_ Max thought. _Maria defiantly does, but she's Liz's best friend. She wouldn't break that bond...Besides, she wouldn't tell me, she'd tell Michael, _Max grinned at the thought,_ and he'd tell me._


	4. Lunch and Beyond

**_Chapter 3: Lunch and Beyond_**

Alex and Isabel walked to lunch holding each other's hand, fingers interlocked. Isabel heard someone behind her whisper, "Isn't that Isabel Evans? What's she doing with that Alex kid?"

"Don't you know?" someone else answered, "they'd been dating for a while, then, last summer, she broke up with him, and now I guess they're back together."

"Oh," answered the first voice, somewhat confused.

Isabel just held her head high, and squeezed Alex's hand. He let go of her hand, and put his arm around her shoulders. She found out that her head perfectly fit onto his shoulder.

"Hey, Michael," Isabel said, when she was close to the table that she, Alex, Max, Michael, Maria, and Liz all shared. "I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Alex."

"Wow!" Michael answered her, then to Alex, "You look exactly like our friend, Alex Whitman. Do you know him?

"Funny, let me know when you're doin' Vegas." Alex answered.

"Hey, just askin'. Here comes Maria, wait 'till she finds out. Get ready to cover your ears, or else you won't ever hear again." Michael said.

"Oh," Alex begged, "let me tell her, ok?"

Maria walked up to the table and set her tray down, then eyed Alex and Isabel. "Ok, you two, what's goin' on?"

"We got back together." Alex said, a grin stretching across his face.

Maria squealed, and everyone covered their ears, "Now everyone's happy."

"Not everyone." Michael pointed to Max and Liz, who were coming to the table from opposite ends of the quad.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot."

_Ok, breathe,_ Liz coached herself. _Only a few more feet and you'll be by your friends...and Max. What am I going to do?_

"Hey, guys. How's everyone?" she asked, right before she saw Alex lean over and give Isabel a kiss. _Well, that's new. _"Did I miss something?"

Everyone at the table laughed. "Izzy and Alex are back together." Maria explained.

"Oh," Liz answered, trying not to sound disappointed. "Congratulations. Here comes Max, he'll be so surprised." _This isn't fair, _she couldn't help thinking,_ why does everyone else get to be happy? _

"Hey, Max, what's up?" Michael asked as Max sat down, staring at the newest couple at West Roswell High.

"What's with those two?" He asked, nodding his head toward Alex and Isabel.

"Oh, them?" Maria answered Max, jerking her thumb at Alex and Izzy. "They're a couple, again."

"Figures," Max mumbled, looking at Liz while she opened her lunch.

"Hey, everyone!" The six turned. The face that came with the sugar-sweet voice was a face that they all hated.

"Tess." Liz answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I thought I'd sit with you guys today."

"Sorry, Tess, but the table's full. Maybe you can sit with Kyle and his jerk, I mean jock, friends." Isabel didn't feel one bit of remorse when she answered her, in the same 'fake-sweet' voice that Tess used. _Nobody _made her friends feel like crap.

"Oh, ok. Bye Max."

"Tess."

"Ohmigod! I cannot believe that she just did that! As if we're friends. Lizzy, babe, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Maria. I just forgot...to...go."

"Man, Tess is a bitch with a capital 'B'. Why does Liz let Tess get to her like that?" Michael asked, as he watched Liz walk back into the school with her eyes downcast.

_Something is seriously wrong with Liz,_ Max thought._ What happened to the confident, bright, smart, funny, sweet, truthful girl I fell in love with? _

"Uh, guys, I better go to. I have this thing due next period, and I need to review it. Bye." Max picked up his stuff and followed Liz into the school.

"Max Evans, not finish his work. Yeah...like I'm gonna believe that." Alex said. "So, Maria, what's up with them? Liz didn't really sleep with Kyle, did she?"

"Yeah, Alex. You try. I tried before, and all I got was nothing." Michael whispered across the table.

"Yes, Alex...Liz slept with Kyle. End of story, now can we please change the topic? And, you, I heard that...what, do you think you're the only one around here with powers?"

"Maria, I told you not to say that so loud."

"Say what? Powers?"

"Yes..."

"So, you don't want me to say 'powers.' I shouldn't say 'powers.' Something bad will happen to me if I say 'pow...'"

Isabel and Alex watched the little flirt-fest as it ended in a kiss that shut Maria up. Almost.

"Wow. So," Maria said, "will that happen every time I say 'pow...'"

The answer was defiantly yes.

"Liz! Wait up!"

Liz slowed down, "What do you want, Max?"

Max caught up with her. "I just wanted to make sure that you were ok... So, are you? Ok, I mean?"

"Am I ok? I just listened to Tess act all nice and sweet, like nothing's wrong. Like she did nothing...nothing to me, to you, to 'us'," she whispered the last part, but shook herself out of it and her voice returned to a level just short of shouting, "And you...you're asking me if I'm ok? Why don't you tell me how I am? Everyone else seems to have an opinion...in fact, the whole school seems to know how I'm doing and if I'm ok, when, in fact, they have no idea how I am. So, what's your in-put? How am I? Am I ok? Tell me, Max. HOW AM I?"

"Liz, how am I supposed to know how you are? You barely even talk to me anymore..." He trailed off as he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"I barely talk to you? You won't even look at me."

"Liz, every time I look at you, I see you in bed with Kyle. I see you in his arms, and I get so mad. Mad at you. Mad at Kyle. But mostly, mad at myself. I get mad that I couldn't convince you to stay, mad that I didn't tell anyone that I don't care about my destiny...that I only care about you, that I let Michael hold me back that day in the desert. I get mad that I didn't fight for you when you told me that we had to stop...that you couldn't go to Gomez with me. So, I'm sorry that I don't look at you, because when I do, I don't see Liz Parker, the girl I fell in love with anymore. I see Liz Parker, the girl who broke my heart and slept with Kyle Valenti."

"Well, Max," Liz replied with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry you feel that way, but I have to go..."

And without looking back, she ran away, leaving Max to, once again, stare at nothing but her back.

_Ohmigod! I can't keep this up much longer. Every time he looks at me I want to tell him the truth. Why shouldn't he know, anyway? What harm will it do?_ Liz thought.

_NO!_ she yelled at herself, _you can't do that! Remember what the other Max said? If you two get together, Earth Will Be Taken Over By The Skins!!! Then what? You and Max will be dead...and Maria and Michael...and Alex and Isabel...and Kyle...and Tess._

_Oh, who cares if Tess dies?_ she contradicted.

_This is never going to work...I want Max back, _thought both parts of the Liz-thing.

"Ok, Maria, enough with the 'pow...'" Alex couldn't even finish the word before Isabel's mouth was on his. "Never mind. I _like_ this game..."

"Don't get used to it, otherwise, the opposite will happen...no kissing if you say the 'P' word." Isabel answered with a laugh.

"That goes for you, too." Michael told Maria, right before she and Alex whined, "No fair!"

"What's not fair?" Max asked, only catching the last few words of the conversation.

"Nothing!" everyone answered.

"So, Max, I thought you had a 'thing' due next period, and that you needed to review it." Maria batted her eyes at him, looking _so_ innocent. Yeah, right.

"Well...I...uh..."

R-R-R-I-I-I-N-N-N-G-G-G!

"Saved By The Bell!" Michael yelled as Max dashed off.

_I wonder where Liz is,_ Maria thought as she went to leave the lav. Then she heard the sobbing that came from the last stall. _Found her._

"Hey, Lizzie, babe. Is that you?"

"Maria?" Liz choked out.

"Yeah, it's me. Can I come in?"

Maria heard Liz get up and unlock the door. She let herself in.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"M..M..M...Max..."

"What about Max?"

Liz told Maria everything that Max had said to her, sobbing the whole time.

"...and then he said, 'So, I'm sorry that I don't look at you, because when I do, I don't see Liz Parker, the girl I fell in love with anymore. I see Liz Parker, the girl who broke my heart and slept with Kyle Valenti.'"

"Oh, poor Liz. Just know this, you did nothing wrong. It's Max's fault, anyway...well, it's _a_ Max's fault."

Liz didn't even smile.

_Ok, DeLucca,_ Maria gave herself a little pep-talk, _Liz doesn't want to be cheered up right now...she wants to be able to cry and she wants to have someone to hold her and tell her that it's going to be ok...I could do that._

Since they both had a free, Maria and Liz went out into the halls with the other kids who had a free class period and sat down on a couch.

"Come here..."

Liz put her head on Maria's lap, closed her eyes, and let her mind clear. She hadn't felt so at peace for a long time.

Alex was floating on Cloud Nine. He couldn't believe his luck. _Isabel apologized to me, and we're back together, Maria and Michael are happy, Liz is...let's not go there, Max is...never mind. _He was suddenly off of Cloud Nine.

"Isabel," he whispered.

"What?" Izzy turned around and smiled at her boyfriend.

"We have to make things better."

"What things?" Isabel was oblivious.

"Max and Liz things."

"Ooohhh," Isabel said, "those things."

"Yeah. We have to do something."

"Like what?"

Alex shrugged as the teacher walked into the room. "Ok, people. Enough with the talking, time to learn."

Isabel and Alex got quiet.

"Now," the teacher continued," Back to our discussion on the Black Plague. Who can tell us how much of the population of Europe was killed during the Plague? Cindy..."

****

"It's just not fair, Maria."

"I know."

"No," Liz contradicted, suddenly sitting up, "you don't know. How could you know? You get to be with Michael. Alex gets to be with Isabel. I can't be with Max. Ever. I mean, I love Max with all my heart. With all my soul. And I can't be with him because the stupid world'll end. Well, what about my world? Does anyone even care if it comes crashing down? Noooo. All everyone cares about is defeating the Skins. Who thought of that stupid name anyway? Skins? What's up with that? Anyway, life's not fair."

Liz and Maria were unaware that a certain brooding, spiky-haired guy was standing behind them. At least until they heard him bump into the sofa.

"Michael," Maria gasped.

"Ok, now I just heard something that I probably wasn't supposed to. But, now that I did, why don't you guys tell the story from the beginning?"

"You were eavesdropping?" Liz was horrified.

"No, I wasn't _eavesdropping._ I just happened to overhear you guys talking while I was standing aimlessly behind the couch, waiting for you to release Maria."

"You were eavesdropping." Maria translated.

"Fine, make me say it. _I was eavesdropping._ So are you going to tell me or not?"

"Mind as well tell him, Liz. He can't figure it out on his own."

"Watch it, Maria. I have more pow..."

"Hey! We agreed not to say that word in public." Maria scolded.

"Aren't you going to punish me?"

"Not now." Maria said, smugly.

Michael grinned, "Fine. Liz, please tell me."

"Ok, Michael. But, brace yourself. This is a long, complicated story..." Liz braced herself. She would have to tell the story again. "It all started when Maria, me, and Alex went to a psychic..."

Michael listened, really listened, to the whole story.

"So, when Future Max told me that I have to get Max to fall out of love with me, I tried. I told him that I didn't want to die for him. That didn't work...so, I went to Kyle..."

He stared at Liz in disbelief. _She loves him enough to sacrifice everything for him._

"And, when I saw the look on his face, I knew that he would never forgive me. I had made the only man in the whole universe who loved me fall out of love with me."

"So, that's it, huh." Michael asked when she was finished.

"That's the truth." Liz dug in her purse for a tissue.

"Wow, that's...wow. Liz, we have to tell Max."

"No, don't you get it? We can't tell Max. If we do, THE WORLD WILL END!"

"So," Michael argued with Liz, "at least we'd all be together. Now we aren't. If we tell Max, we will be. And we can fight together."

"No, Michael, we can't. You don't understand. We were the only ones left."

"Yeah," Michael agreed with Liz, "you, Max, Maria, Alex, Isabel, and I. Tess left. I get it."

"No. No you don't. Max and I were the only ones who survived. Tess left, Isabel died two weeks before he came to visit me. You died in his arms only twenty minutes before on the day he came. Maria, I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you this. I didn't want to put any more pressure on you. I was so ashamed."

"It's ok, Liz. I understand. Michael, are you ok?"

Michael couldn't speak. Finally he choked out two words, "I died?"


	5. Finding Out the Truth

**_Chapter 4: Finding Out the Truth_**

R-R-R-I-I-I-N-N-N-G-G-G! The bell rang, and the day was over. Max ran out to his Jeep, and got in. He shoved the keys into the ignition and peeled out of the parking lot. _Isabel and Michael can get a ride with Maria. I need to think._ He headed into the desert.

****

Isabel stood in the parking lot with Alex, looking for Max's Jeep.

"Maybe he left." Alex said. "We should go look for Maria. She'll drive you home."

"Ok," Isabel agreed.

"Hey, Maria!" Alex called, spying the bouncy blonde. "Can Izzy and I have a ride home?"

"Get in." Maria called back.

Alex and Isabel walked to the Jetta. Liz was already in the back of the car, with Michael riding shotgun.

"Hey," Isabel said.

"What's wrong, Michael?" Alex asked.

"Nothing."

"Ok."

Michael turned around and looked at Liz as if to say, _We should tell them._ Liz shot a look back. It plainly said, _NO WAY! _Michael shrugged and turned around. He thought of something else, "Maria," he hissed.

"No, Michael. The answer is no."

He crossed his arms, intent on staring out the window for the rest of the drive.

After about ten minutes, a quiet voice broke the silence. "Isabel. Alex. There's something you should know." Liz said, staring at the back of Maria's seat.

Michael whipped his head around.

"Maria," Liz continued, "drive out into the desert for a couple of miles. Does anyone have to be home right after school?"

There were no's all around, and Maria drove until Liz told her to stop.

****

Max stopped the Jeep a mile or so away from the pod chamber. He turned off the ignition and got out of the Jeep, taking a blanket with him. He arranged the tan blanket so that it hid the Jeep from sight. When he was sure that no one would see the Jeep from the road and come out to investigate, he walked to the chamber.

A few minutes later, he pressed his hand onto a rock. A handprint underneath his hand began to glow, and the rock moved away. Max stepped into the place of his birth and felt at ease, at home. He took a deep breath of the musty air and felt relaxed. He'd brought a flashlight and a notebook with him, and after he'd crawled through the pod that had housed Tess for so long, arrived inside the Granolith. As soon as he had entered it, he'd felt it's power. Even Liz had somehow known that it was important, though she'd never see it. He sat down on the cool floor, and was glad that he didn't need to use the flashlight. The Granolith illuminated the whole area.

Max opened the notebook and started to write...

**Last night, I had that dream again. It was of Liz and I. We were married, and she was pregnant with our second child. We were so happy. We were at a party, and Liz was about six months into her pregnancy. When we saw Michael and Maria, Liz swore that the baby kicked. And Maria swore that her's kicked back in return. Both Liz and Maria were huge, although Michael and I, the doting husbands and fathers-to-be, would disagree with them, telling them they never looked as beautiful. Liz and Maria were comparing child-rearing notes, even though they wouldn't be due for another six months yet. To everyone at the party who didn't know of our background, Liz and Maria were only three months along, and looked so big only because of their natural petite-ness. It was Alex and Isabel's party again, and we were still celebrating the birth of _their_ first babies. The pride and joy of their lives. It had only been a few weeks since Alexandra and Brenden had come home from the hospital. Claudia, my daughter, and Remembrance, Michael's daughter, were asleep in Auntie Izzy and Uncle Alex's room. Everything was going along fine, but it got even better when the newest mommy and daddy-to-be showed up. Everyone exclaimed about how small Tess still was, and how much she already glowed. Her protective husband, and father of her child, Kyle, stayed by her side the whole night. Everyone but the resident aliens, their children, and their significant others left at around ten, thanking and congratulating Alex and Isabel, wishing the best of luck to all the pregnant mommies, and to Izzy and Alex. Once the last guest was out the door, Isabel pulled her photo album from under the couch. She flipped to an earlier date, six months ago, when she was the only huge one. It showed shots of her that were taken on the fifteenth of every month for an entire year. Then she turned to the picture of the entire gang that was taken for that year. Beside that were individual pictures of each family. Liz held Claudia, with me standing protectively behind them. Michael had Remembrance on his left arm with his right one pulling Maria flush against his body. Izzy and Alex were standing sideways, her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her bulging belly. Kyle and Tess stood face to face, staring into each others' eyes. She went to an even earlier date, a year before, with Liz and Maria being the houses. She flipped the page again, and we came to the weddings. First, Tess and Kyle, they were the most recently married couple, having just celebrated their first anniversary. Then came Isabel and Alex's, followed by Maria and Michael's. A double wedding. Finally we came to mine and Liz's. We were married at nineteen. Before that was a picture of the gang from that year. Finally, she went to the start of the album; prom. It was taken only three years ago, and we were all grinning from ear to ear. Liz and I stood in the center, with Maria and Michael on one side, and Tess, Kyle, Isabel, and Alex on the other. We were finished looking at the photos, and it was time to take the newest one. We woke the kids up, and sat them on the couch as the adults lined up as they did so long ago at the prom. _Click!_ One down. Next came the family shots. _Click! Click! Click! Click!_ Finally, we lined up the mommies to be, first Liz, then Maria, and last but not least, Tess. The camera clicked three more times, and it was time for us to go to sleep. I took the guest room next to the kitchen. Michael was in the room next to mine. Izzy and Alex were across the hall with the nursery, including all the children, next to them. A little further down the hall, next to the bathroom were Tess, Liz, and Maria. They were close to the bathroom in case of a disagreement that included a quick dash to the bathroom, otherwise known as 'badly named morning sickness'. The dream ended with me kissing Liz on the top of her head, bidding her sweet dreams, and then walking back to my room.**

When Max was finished writing, he put the notebook and pen onto the floor and stood up. He studied the Granolith as if he could find answers in it's smooth surface.

****

"Stop, Maria." Liz commanded.

Maria pulled off the main road and drove for a few more minutes. She turned off the car and turned around, and waited for Liz to speak.

"Alex, Isabel, did you hear the rumors that are going around school?"

"The ones about you and Kyle?" Alex asked.

"Yep. Them. Do you believe them?"

"No way," Isabel jumped into the conversation.

"Good, because here's what really happened..." Liz told them the whole story, not leaving anything out.

Isabel listened to Liz's story with wide, disbelieving ears. She couldn't believe the things that the raven-haired girl was telling her. _Liz is still in love with Max, just as I suspected. But, wait, why doesn't she just tell him the truth? Maybe nothing will happen._

"Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you tell Max the truth now?"

"Because the world would still end." Liz sighed. She was tired of repeating the statement, and she was sick of the fact that she was the only one who understood how serious it would be if Max found out the truth.

Maria heard Liz sigh and she immediately felt sorry for her. _Poor Liz. Everyone expects her to have all the answers,_ Maria thought. _I'll bet that she'd like to know all the answers more than anyone else does. At least Izzy has Alex, and I have Michael, but Liz...she has no one. _Without words, Maria reached over and interlocked her fingers with Michael's.

Max reached over and grabbed the flashlight and his notebook. Crawling out of Tess's pod and into the cave, he clicked on his flashlight and walked into the cool night air. He walked the short distance to his Jeep, following the beam of light that was emitted from the flashlight. It had gotten dark while he was in the pod chamber, and he didn't want to risk getting lost. Max reached the Jeep and pulled off it's protective covering. He got in, turned the key and found that the radio had been left on. He switched the station to 101.7. He heard the beginning of a song that his mother liked to listen to, and, he had to admit, it dictated just what he was feeling at the moment, so he left it on.

** I do swear that I'll always be there. I'd give anything and everything and I will always care. Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow, for better, for worse, I will love you with every beat of my heart. **

**From this moment life has begun**

**From this moment you are the one**

**Right beside you is where I belong**

**From this moment on**

**From this moment I have been blessed**

**I live only for your happiness**

**And for your love I'd give my last breath**

**From this moment on**

**I give my hand to you with all my heart**

**Can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start**

**You and I will never be apart**

**My dreams came true because of you**

**From this moment as long as I live**

**I will love you, I promise you this**

**There is nothing I wouldn't give**

**From this moment on**

**You're the reason I believe in love**

**And you're the answer to my prayers from up above**

**All we need is just the two of us **

**My dreams came true because of you**

**From this moment as long as I live**

**I will love you, I promise you this**

**There is nothing I wouldn't give**

**From this moment on**

**I will love you as long as I live**

**From this moment on**

"Liz, if you could only understand--" Max shook his head, it was useless. _Let's see,_ he thought, driving back to town, _I'll need a change of clothes, and some more batteries for the flashlight..._ he mentally made a list of what he needed to get at home. He was spending the night in the Granolith's chamber.


	6. The Dream Plane

**_ Chapter 5: The Dream Plane_**

**It's February 4th, and I'm Liz Parker. Well! I finally did it. I told Michael, Isabel, and Alex the truth. They were all shocked. But, also so happy to hear it from me...to hear that I didn't sleep with Kyle. They all want me to tell Max, and, of course, I want to tell him, too. Why shouldn't I? I love him. But, I know what'll happen. I can't...I won't be the cause of the world ending.**

Liz put her pen onto the side table next to her lawn chair. She got up and walked the short distance to where the loose brick in the balcony was. She pulled it out and placed her journal into the hole that was created. After putting the brick back in pace, she stood up, brushing the imaginary dirt off her pants. She turned and looked at the wall next to her window. Liz walked over to the wall and lightly ran her fingers over it. She smiled, remembering the night almost a year ago when Max had used his powers to make a glowing heart with his and her initials in it, along with the forever sign. How much everything had changed in the last year still amazed her. _He was drunk that night,_ she remembered. Liz had never told him that what he said to her that night had kept her alive, had kept her hopes alive. Had made her fall more in love with him. She had also never told him that after she got home that night, the design was still there, still glowing, and that she took a picture of it, then traced over it with red paint. It was her way of keeping it there forever. She traced the design one more time, tears cursing down her cheeks, turned, and keeping her eyes on the brick wall, crept into her room through the open window.

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this," Maria whispered.

"Why not?" Michael asked.

"Because," Maria stared at Isabel, "we're invading her privacy."

"She won't even know that we're there, Maria," Alex said.

"Yeah, like the time I went into your dream, Alex, _you_ didn't even know that I was there."

"When did you go into my dream?" Alex demanded.

"So," Isabel asked, deliberately avoided the question,"are we doing this or not?"

"Yes," Michael said.

Maria's eyes were downcast as she replied, "I guess." She hated to spy on Liz.

"I want to know when..."

"Oh, wait," Isabel stopped, "did you two call home and tell your parents that you're sleeping over here?" She looked at Maria and Alex, who both nodded.

"Ok, let's go..." Isabel breathing became deep and everyone joined hands, matching their breathing with hers. Within a few minutes, they were on the dreamplane, looking for Liz's orb.

Max slowly opened the window in his room. The front door had been locked, and he'd forgotten his key. Again. He grabbed a set of clean clothes and his backpack, then started for the kitchen. As he passed the living room, he noticed that Isabel, Alex, Maria, and Michael were all holding hands, and it looked as if they were in a trance. _She's taken them to the dream plane, _he thought, _I hope they leave Liz alone...and me when I fall asleep._ He walked into the kitchen, grabbed some batteries and a now cold piece of pizza. His parents were gone, so he only wrote a note to Izzy.

**Iz-**

**I'm sleeping inside the Granolith chamber tonight. Call me on my cell if you need anything.**

**-Max**

He grabbed his cell phone from off the counter and walked out the door, remembering to grab his house keys.

Alex looked in awe at all of the swirling orbs of light around him. He remembered Isabel's suggestion and joined the rest of the gang; he thought of Liz. He thought about how loyal she was, how much she loved Max, the pain that she felt now. Anything to get her dream orb to come to them.

Maria thought about her best friend, pushing all other thoughts aside. Memories flashed through her head. She and Liz playing dress-up as little girls...Liz's tenth birthday...the day of the shooting...the fountain where she'd found out the truth...today in the desert. She felt Michael touch her arm, and she felt her strength, her power, her essence grow.

Michael didn't really have that many memories of Liz, (he liked to have Maria-Memories instead) but he did remember a lot of things that Max had told him about Liz. Like the time in fifth grade when a little boy had fallen and skinned his knee, Liz ran over and helped him to the nurse...the way that Max would drag him to the Crashdown everyday, just so he could have a little more 'Liz time'...the day she was shot...holding Max back as she ran down the mountain that day in the desert...earlier this afternoon when she'd told him her biggest secret. When she gave him the gift of trust, the gift that Max, and all of them had given her, so long ago. He reached out, thinking of Liz, and holding Maria's hand.

Isabel thought about the shy, sweet girl that had stolen her brother's heart. She thought about the day that Liz found out the truth...how she'd risked her life time and time again, not only for Max, but for all of them...she thought about how much Liz had made her feel at home...made her feel like she had a sister...how Liz sacrificed her happiness to try to allow her and Michael to live longer...Isabel thought about Liz's old dream, and she smiled when she noticed that she and her friends had formed a circle again, Liz's dream orb dancing in the middle.

Liz screamed. Isabel was down! She had to get to Alex. He wasn't thinking straight. She could see it in his eyes. She started to hold him back, to keep him safe, but Max was there instead. He'd put up an emerald colored shield around Maria, Michael, Alex, Liz and himself. Nothing could get through this shield. Not even the Skins and their powers. But five seconds after the shield went up, Liz groaned. Alex was going around the shield, and with Max holding her back, keeping her safe, there was nothing she could do. Alex was going to his beloved, his Isabel. Liz heard Isabel shout for Alex to stay back, but he forged on. He reached her, and there was a little time for Alex to place his hand over Isabel's belly, bulging from their unborn child, their first baby, for them to kiss once more, to say good-bye, to stare into each other's eyes, both filled with the love that they felt, before he was shot. The lovers died in each others' arms. But, still the Skins were coming. Liz and Maria joined their essence with that of Max and Michael, increasing their power. Liz poured all her love into the connection, sending Max flashes of their life together. The day she was shot, the day that started it all...their first kiss on her balcony...the night he was drunk...her wall...the night he proposed...their wedding...the day they realized that she was pregnant...their baby's birth...her first word...her first step...her first day of school...their first anniversary as husband and wife...the birth of their second child...all of this flashed in her lover's head. He saw and he remembered. He gathered up the strength of their connection, joined up with Michael, and let their power fly. It connected with the first Skin, then branched out, killing all twenty-five. The battle was over, they had won, but they had lost, also. Izzy and Alex were dead. They would have to tell Izzy and Max's parents that their baby girl had been killed. They would have to tell Mr. and Mrs. Whitman that their only child had died fighting to save the life of his wife and of their unborn child. They could tell them everything, for there were no more secrets. Their parents knew the truth, and they held their heads high with pride that their children were fighting to save the world, that they had fallen in love, that they were happy. They would tell them everything, and they would tell their children, and their children's children, and, in that way, Alex and Isabel would live forever, but, first, they had to mourn the dead.

Isabel and Alex gasped as they saw the end to Liz's dream. Maria had tears in her eyes, and Michael pulled her close. Isabel put her hand on her flat tummy without knowing it. Alex couldn't speak, and he signaled to Isabel that it was time to go, and she woke them up.

It was almost ten o'clock by the time Max got back to the pod chamber. He'd brought the Jeep a little closer this time, and it was parked about a quarter a mile away, hidden by it's protective blanket. The other blanket from the Jeep, he placed on the floor. Suddenly, he felt very tired, and as soon as he flopped onto the blanket, he fell fast asleep.

Liz jumped awake. _Ohmigod! What was that? Where did that dream come from? _Her breathing slowly returned to normal as she crawled out of bed and walked to her bathroom. She got a drink of water, and guzzled down. Liz looked up to see her reflection in the mirror, and it hit her. Dejú Vú! She had the perfect memory of Future Max standing there as he watched her get ready to 'sleep' with Kyle. She remembering asking him to please stay out of ear shot. He'd obliged, but she knew that he felt what Max felt. It was as if Max's memory of her and Kyle was his memory, too. And, in a way, it was. After all, he _was_ Max. She had an idea, and in less than five seconds, she was out on her balcony, looking for a shooting star like she'd seen that night, looking for a sign. Something that would tell her that everything was going to be all right. Liz closed her eyes, remembering...

Flashback

Her and future Max dancing her wedding dance...the love she saw in his eyes...the hurt she felt when she turned and saw that he was gone...looking up and seeing the shooting star...somehow knowing that it was her Max leaving.

Liz searched the stars until she could keep her eyes open no longer. Then she went inside, grabbed a blanket and a pillow, and brought it out to her lawn chair. This was the place that she felt the closest to Max, the place that she felt safe. She fell asleep looking at the off-centered V shaped cluster of stars, hoping for a better dream...

Max rubbed his eyes as he woke up from a rather pleasant dream. There. He heard it again. That soft twinkling sound that had woke him up. His eyes adjusted to the bright light, and he looked up into the face of...Liz Parker. _No, that can't be Liz,_ he thought. _This, well, this whatever it is has short hair...and it's wearing leather. _"What's going on?" he asked the figure," Who are you? What do you want?"

"My Max, my love," the figure whispered.

"Isabel," Michael said, "are you ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." There was a hint of distraction in her voice. It was as if she was there in body, but not in spirit. Or heart. Liz's dream had made her biggest hopes, finding love and a husband, having it be Alex, and having a child, and her worst nightmare, being the cause of anyone's death, especially Alex and her baby's, a reality.

Alex noticed the change in her immediately. His Ice Princess Izzy was gone, leaving only a shell. It was as if the ice inside of her had turned to glass. A really thin, fragile glass that could shatter with the slightest touch, the softest wind. Alex stood up and reached his arms out to her. He sighed with relief when she stood up and clung to him. He was her support as he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "Excuse us," he said to Maria and Michael, who nodded. Isabel placed her head onto Alex's shoulder as he carried her to her bedroom. He gently placed her onto the bed, then moved in close, as if he was trying to protect her from what she just saw. He put his arm around her shoulders when she placed her head on his chest. Isabel breathed deeply and fell asleep in the only place that she felt safe anymore. Alex's arms.

Maria climbed into Michael's arms when he held them open to her. She was grateful for the comfort that he provided. Michael sighed deeply, and Maria felt at ease immediately. Michael would never let anything happen to her. The lovers fell asleep in each others' arms, dreaming of their future together.


	7. Elizabeth Evans

**_Chapter 6: Elizabeth Evans_**

Max blinked, snapping himself out of the trance-like state. Again he asked, "Who, or what, are you?"

"Max," the Liz-shaped figure said, "you know who I am. I'm Liz."

"No, no, no. You can't possibly be Liz. Your hair's too short, and you're wearing leather. My Liz, I mean Liz...Liz would never wear leather. I repeat; WHO ARE YOU?"

"You still don't believe me, all right. I expected this. Here, let me show you..." It started to walk toward Max.

"What are you going to do?"

"You'll see," the figure replied. "Close your eyes."

Max felt warm, soft hands press lightly on his forehead as he did what the figure asked. Without warning, Max was bombarded with flashes. He saw himself in third grade...smiling in biology...healing Liz Parker the day of the shooting...countless other things he'd done, he saw it all through Liz's eyes.

"Now do you believe me?"

Max was still skeptical, "If I did believe you, you'd tell me why you're here, and where you're from..."

"I'm from the year 2016, I'm thirty-four years old. My name is Elizabeth Evans, and I'm here to give you some information that you've been wanting to have."

"Elizabeth Evans?"

"Well, you don't know me by that name, at least not yet. In fact, right now, you know me as Liz Parker."

"Did we get married, or something?"

"No, but I changed my last name when we were captured. I wanted to. It was my way of remembering what we had...what we could have had..."

"Go on..."

"OK, here it goes...a few months ago, you came form the year 2014 to tell Liz that she had to make you fall out of love with her..."

"I'd never do that-"

"Listen, please, this is very important...Liz obliged. She told you that she didn't want to die for you, but that didn't work...you still loved her, you still loved me...so she, so I, went to Kyle. Max, they, we, Kyle and I, Kyle and Liz, oh, this is just too confusing..." Elizabeth put her head into her hands, and Max thought he saw a small flash of light go from her hands to her head. Suddenly, she was fine, "Ok , Liz and Kyle didn't sleep together. They just made it look like they did. You see, we'll call him 'Future Max', Future Max had told me, had told Liz, that you and she had made love the night of Gomez. That's when everything between you and her changed. You became mean and hateful toward Tess, and eventually she left, never to return. You thought that your love for Liz was enough, but you needed Tess. She completed your unit. Without her, you weren't as strong. And, you risked everything for Liz. Including Michael and Isabel. They died, along with Alex, Maria, and Kyle, protecting you...and Liz. So, Liz pretended to sleep with Kyle. It was the only way to save Michael, Isabel, and everyone else. It was the only way to save the world."

"What does this have to do with you being here?"

"I'm getting to that, now listen. After everything happened, everyone was so...how can I put this... preoccupied, no, upset over you two that the Skins took over in less than two years. You were all killed, one after another; first Maria, then Alex...Kyle and Isabel followed shortly after. It was only you, Tess, Michael, and I. We fought. By God, did we fight," she paused, remembering, "but it was useless. First Michael died, then Tess. It was just us. We tried so hard, but they captured us. They wanted us alive. They tested us, for fourteen years. They prodded and poked, examined and tortured. Yesterday, you were killed. I was next, but you had found a way for me to escape. You still loved me, after everything that I did. I made it to the pod chamber and into the Granolith. I took out the key that you'd made, stuck it in the hole like you told me, and prayed. Max, you have to listen to me. You and Liz have to be together. We all have to be happy. I know about the destinies, but that was the past. You and Tess don't belong together anymore. She belongs with Kyle, you with me, Michael and Maria, and Izzy with Alex. We make you stronger, and if these couples don't get back together, and soon, the past will repeat itself. We'll all die. Some sooner than expected."

"What am I going to do about it?"

"Go to Michael, he'll believe you...then talk to Tess. Tell her that she has to stay in Roswell until the war is over, and we would be victorious tell you the truth. If she won't, put out your hands, and this entire conversation will flow out of them, like a hologram. Now, I must go, I'm losing power. Go, tell them."

Max backed out of the Granolith chamber, "I will."

"Hurry, my love," Liz whispered as she disappeared, "their lives are in your hands."


	8. New Destinies

**_Chapter 7: New Destinies_**

Tess Harding paced back and forth across Kyle's, well, now her, room. _What's wrong with that boy? How can he not see that we're meant to be together? Did Little Miss Science Geek Liz Parker plant some kind of brainwashy chip in head when they were going out, or what? This is so frustrating!_ Tess waved her hand over her night-shirt. When she was done, she walked over to her mirror and saw what she would look like in a red, off-the-shoulder evening dress. _Not bad,_ she decided, _ but maybe a black one would get Kyle Valenti's attention more. _She giggled.

Kyle Valenti heard a knock on the front door. He knew that his dad was working the night shift again, so he was the only one who could open the door. "Evans," he said, as he opened it, "what the hell are you doing here? At twelve-thirty?"

"Is Tess home?"

"Yeah. Come on in, let me get her...TESS! MAX IS HERE TO SEE YOU!" he waited a beat then looked at Max, "She'll be out in a minute. Do you want anything? Chips? Soda? I think we have some Tabasco sauce..."

"No, that's ok."

"Suit yourself. Oh, I'll leave you two alone..." he said as Tess entered the room.

"No, wait, Kyle, you have to hear this, too."

"Ok."

"Tess, I need you to call my house. Tell whoever answers to get everyone there up and awake. Then tell whoever answers to tell Maria to call Liz and get her over there. If they ask any questions, tell them that I'm calling an emergency meeting, and that I'll explain everything when I get there. Kyle, write your dad a note telling him that you and Tess are spending the night at my house, then both of you get some clothes and take them to the Jeep. Don't take too long. I'm leaving in ten minutes." Max had used his authority voice, and within seconds, Kyle and Tess were running around, getting things done.

Isabel leaned over Alex and answered the phone on the third ring. "Hello," she said, groggily.

"Isabel, it's Tess. Max told me to call you and tell you to get everyone up. He's calling an emergency meeting."

Isabel was suddenly fully awake. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but Kyle and Max and I will be over there in a few minutes."

"Fine. Bye."

"No! Wait. Tell Maria to call Liz and get her over there, too. Bye."

Isabel hung up the phone. "Alex," she whispered, and getting no response, said it a little louder," Alex!"

"Huh? What? Huh?"

"Wake up. Emergency meeting."

"When?"

"Now."

"Yeah! Is the meeting one of the 'We Know An Alien' club's? I like those." He answered mockingly.

"Funny. Help me get up Michael and Maria."

Alex knew how hare it was to wake up Maria, let alone Michael. "Easier said than done," he grumbled.

"Stop it," Maria mumbled. _God. How rude. Can't they see that I'm trying to sleep?_

"Wake up, Maria."

"Leave me alone, Alex. I'm sleeping."

"No, come on, Maria. Get up."

"Fine, Isabel. I'm up, I'm up. What do you want?"

"Max has called a meeting. Can you get Michael up, then call Liz? Alex and I are going to get some snacks and stuff."

"'Kay. Michael!" she yelled in his ear devilishly, "Get up!"

"Go back to sleep, Maria. I'm in the middle of a good dream."

"I don't care. Max has called an emergency meeting. Come on, we have to get up."

"Ok. I'm up."

"Thank you. Now, I have to call Liz."

"Here. Here's your phone."

Maria hit speed dial one.

"Hello?"

"Liz, babe. It's me."

"Maria?"

"Yep."

"It's one o'clock in the morning."

"Well aware of that, Lizzie. Listen, Max has called this big emergency meeting, so you have to get your butt out of bed and into a car and over here ASAP."

"And where would 'here' be?" Liz asked.

"Max's house."

"Great." she sounded defeated, "See you there soon. Bye."

"Liz is on her way." Maria informed Alex and Isabel as they re-entered the room. "Yeah! Popcorn!"

"Someone's awake," Isabel giggled as Maria took a big handful of the popcorn and shoved it in her mouth. And, she burst out laughing at the look on Maria's face when she realized that the popcorn had been drenched in sugar and Tabasco sauce.

"Maria, that's not the popcorn that you're supposed to eat. Ours is over here." Alex held up a second bowl.

Isabel went to give her a glass of soda, but she refused and took one off of Alex's tray instead.

"Now that you're awake, let's work on Michael."

"He's awake, Isabel." Maria said, turning, "Well, he _was _awake, anyway." She smacked him.

Michael's eyes popped open, "What the hell?"

"You went back to sleep! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I was tired, and Max isn't here yet, so..."

"Hey, everyone. Michael, looks like you spoke a little too soon."

Maria jumped up from Michael's lap, now fully awake and hyper. "Hey, Max! Hey, Kyle! Tess."

"Hey, Maria," Kyle answered, "Hey, everyone."

Everyone said hi to the new arrivals.

"Well, I'd like to start this meeting-"

"Not yet, Alex," Maria cut him off. When everyone looked at her, she explained, "We have to wait for Liz."

"Liz is here, you can start, Alex."

Maria squealed, "Hey, Lizzie."

Everyone nodded hi.

"Now, I'd like to bring this meeting of the 'Aliens Are Among Us' fan club to order...Max, what the _hell _was so important that you had to wake us up and gather us here at the _ungodly_ hour of...one-thirty am?"

"Tonight, I went to sleep in the Granolith chamber..."

Liz sat up with a worried expression on her face. "Why...why would you want to sleep in the chamber, Max?" Everyone, except Tess and Kyle, who didn't know the extent to Liz's secret, shot worried glances at each other.

Max began to feel uncomfortable. How could he explain the need to sleep in the chamber? "I don't know."

"So, you woke us up to tell us that you spent half of Friday night in the Granolith chamber?" Kyle was clearly confused.

"Yes...I mean no. No, that's not why I called this meeting. You see, something happened to me when I was in the chamber."

Liz shot Maria a look, and her eyes clearly screamed 'OH,NO!'

"What happened, Max?" Isabel asked.

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain, but I'll get down to the point...Liz and I belong together. No one is happy this way...and we all have to be happy. I know about the destinies, but that was the past. Tess and I don't belong together anymore. She belongs with Kyle, Liz with me, Michael and Maria, and Izzy with Alex. If these couples don't get back together soon, we'll all die. Some sooner than expected."

"What are you talking about, Maxwell?"

"Here, let me show you..." Max held out his hands, just as Elizabeth told him to do, and within seconds, there was a hologram against the wall.

"If you are seeing me now," the hologram said, "then Max is in need of my help."

Isabel turned to Max, "How did you..."

"Don't try to understand, Isabel. You will learn as you get older. Max doesn't even know how he's doing this, do you , Max?" He shook his head no. "I need to all to listen very closely. This is vital to your survival..." And the hologram repeated her conversation with Max, helping when she could by showing them flashes. The figure continued, "Max became mean and hateful toward Tess, and eventually she left, never to return. You all thought that Max's love for Liz was enough, but you needed Tess. She completed your unit. Without her, you weren't as strong. And, he risked everything for Liz. Including Michael and Isabel. They died, along with Alex, Maria, and Kyle, protecting Max...and Liz. So, Liz pretended to sleep with Kyle. The Skins took over in less than two years. You were all killed, one after another; first Maria, then Alex...Kyle and Isabel followed shortly after. It was only Max, Tess, Michael, and Liz. By God, did we fight, but it was useless. First Michael died, then Tess. Max and Liz were the only ones left. They, we, tried so hard, but they were captured. Max and Tess do not belong together anymore. You aliens all belong with a human; Tess belongs with Kyle, Max and Liz are soul mates, Michael's one and only is Maria, and Alex completes Isabel. If you're not together, the past will repeat itself. You'll all die. Some sooner than expected." The figure turned, "Tess, you have to stay in Roswell until the war is over."

The image started to fade, "Go, my friends, my family. Listen to your hearts, and to what I've said. Follow your new destinies. Good-bye."

Alex was the first one to speak, "Wow. Yeah, all I can say is wow."

"Yeah, wow," Isabel repeated.

Then, all of the sudden, everyone was talking. Kyle and Tess were talking to each other about nothing in particular, which ended in a heated kiss and several looks from the other couples. But, all that was forgotten once they remembered that they were in love with the person that they were supposed to be with. Tess and Kyle were forgotten as Michael picked Maria in his arms and, still kissing her, brought her over to the couch, where he sat her on his lap. Maria wiggled around until she was able to straddle his hips. Alex swooped Isabel off her feet and carried her into her bedroom once again, this time for some privacy. Max smiled as he noticed how happy all his friends were. Then he looked for his one and only. His smile dropped when he realized that Liz was no where to be found. He was going to interrupt Maria and Michael to ask for some help in finding her, but thought better of it when he realized that Michael would be _very_ pissed if he was interrupted. So, Max did the only thing he could think of. He let himself open up and he thought only of Liz. He felt a strong urge to go into his room, and when he got there, he found Liz curled up in a fetal position on his bed.

"Liz?" He asked, "What's wrong?"

"Max, how do you know that this isn't some kind of trick? What if she's wrong? I can't stand to lose you again. It's too hard."

"Liz, don't cry. I'm not going anywhere. You're mine. You always were, you'll always be. Until the day I die, I belong to you, and you only. Forever. Liz, I was created to fall in love with you, and I'll be dammed if you realize that, but are too afraid. What did your grandmother say, Liz? She told you to follow your heart. I'm listening to mine, and it's telling me that we're supposed to be together. You make me strong, Liz. You make me feel human. Why won't you give me another chance?"

"Ok. I'll follow my heart, and my heart is telling me that you're the one. But my heart is also saying that it can't deal with anymore pain or heartbreak."

"Liz. I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been. For a very long time."

"I know."

"How do you know?"

"Because, Max, it's your love that gives me my strength. My courage. It was your love for me that made me realize that I love you, too."

Max was at her side in less that ten seconds, and they kissed to prove their words to each other, to erase any doubts. Max kissed away her tears, and Liz felt all her pain melt away at his touch. She was truly home in his arms.


	9. Going Camping

**_Chapter 8: Going Camping_**

Max, Michael, Tess, and Isabel, didn't, couldn't, _wouldn't,_ leave their destinies out of their sight the whole weekend. And it wasn't like the humans had any objection to that. In fact, Saturday morning, everyone got permission from their parents to go camping over the weekend. The fact that they had Monday off was a blessing, and it helped their cause. So, at around eight o'clock, Max, Liz, Tess, and Kyle piled into the Jeep with their gear, and Maria, Michael, Isabel, and Alex jumped into the Jetta with theirs. Of course, Maria had promised to clean the house when they came home in exchange for the car. But with help, she'd reasoned, it wouldn't take that long.

The eight had intentions to make it to the camp ground in about five hours, but got a little behind when they stopped at a truck stop to eat.

They arrived at sites number twenty and twenty-one at around three o'clock, and Michael tried to built a fire. The human way. When he found it impossible and was about to give up, Maria made her way over to him and, with him staring at her the whole time, had a good fire going in about five minutes. She smiled at him and he responded, "Very funny."

The guys made a lunch of burgers and hot dogs for everyone, with the understanding that the girls were in charge of the supper. Everyone talked during lunch, and they realized that the guys all had a lot in common with each other, especially Max and Kyle, Alex and Michael. The girls found out that Liz and Tess had a lot of the same doubts and feelings in their lives, and that both Isabel and Maria were as carefree as birds, but as protective as mother grizzlies bear defending their young.

Everyone grew more and more relaxed and comfortable with each other as the day progressed. Tess and Kyle began to feel like one of the gang when they were invited to sit around the fire after dinner and listen to the gang talk about the 'old times'. The couples immediately noticed the change in Max and Liz as they sat down, her in his lap. Kyle saw how much Liz loved Max, and he finally understood why she had broken up with him the year before. He silently threatened Max that he would personally beat the living crap out of him if he hurt this little creature who was so strong. Tess saw how much Max cared for Liz and she thanked who ever it was that created this girl for Max. If she had a choice, she wouldn't trade seeing Max this happy for anything.

Maria and Michael kept on shooting little glances at their best friends, convincing themselves that things would be ok after all.

Liz and Max were in a world of their own. They were unaware of the four people that alternated their little glances between Tess and Kyle and them. But, they were very aware of each other and of how right it felt to be in each other's arms.

"Max..." Liz whispered.

"Yeah, Liz?"

"Are you ready to turn in?"

Max glanced at his watch. It read 9:45. "Why? It's only a quarter to ten." He kept his voice low, the conversation private.

"Max Evans. It only the second night that we've been together. Last night, you were so sweet, and you let me fall asleep in your arms. Tonight, I want to acknowledge the fact that we're back together for good. Why are you questioning this? Why are you questioning me?"

"You're right. It's time to turn in." Max turned to face his friends, "Hey, guys..."

"Go ahead, Maxwell. We understand." Michael was grinning like an idiot. Maria gave in to her need to smack him, and Liz giggled, getting up and pulling Max to where their sleeping bags were.

Michael had felt Maria hit him, but he let it slide. He'd get her back. She was majorly ticklish, and he knew just the spot. He dug his fingers into her sides, just below her rib cage.

Maria squealed, "Michael, stop. Stop...stop...stop..." She could barely get out the words, she couldn't even catch her breath. "Isabel...Tess... help...please...help..."

"Sorry, Maria," Isabel squealed, "but...I'm...under...attack...too. Alex...stop...you...know...how... ticklish...I...am."

Maria managed to catch her breath long enough to yell, "Tess...help!"

"I can't. Kyle's got me in his clutches and he won't let go."

Finally, the three girls couldn't stand it any more. Isabel and Maria reared up, and Tess turned around. They all caught their boyfriend's mouth with their own.

_Mission accomplished_, the boys thought as they turned their attention back to the lovely ladies in their arms.


	10. Here Comes Trouble

**_Chapter 9: Here Comes Trouble_**

Raf and Lonnie walked up the steps that led to Michael's apartment. They knocked twice, then assumed that he wasn't home. Raf cursed and used his powers to blow the door off of its hinges. They walked in, turning their heads every which way, making sure they weren't followed. Lonnie stomped into Michael's bedroom, or what could pass for a bedroom, anyway. She looked around the room and wrinkled her nose. _How could someone live like this? It's a pig pen!_

"Lonnie?!? Didja find anythin'?"

"No. I don't even know what the hell I'm lookin' for."

"Duh, dumb-ass. We lookin' for anyhtin' that will tell us the location of the Granolith."

"Well, Raf, there's nothin' here. Why don't we just beat the answer out of 'em?"

The Michael look-alike strode into the bedroom, "Because...Nicholas tried that, and the Tess girl nearly killed him. Would you like to be turned into ash?"

"No..."

"Then shut-up and keep lookin'"

"Fine, Mr. Bossy. I'll take the kitchen. You take the livin' room...if you can find it in all this mess."

"Just find something! We have to get home before the end of the week."


	11. By The Fire

**_ Chapter 10: By the Fire_**

"Max."

"Yes, love?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"If you, and Isabel, and Tess, and Michael, ever get the chance to go home, what would happen to us?"

"Us? Who do you mean?"

"Well, us," she pointed to him then to her, "and us, Maria, Alex, Kyle and I. What would we do without you? What would I do without you?"

"Baby, I am home. You've made earth home to me. There is no where else."

"Max, that's your home," she pointed to the radish shaped constellation above them.

"No. You're my home, Liz. In your arms is my home, it's where I belong...and I'm not going anywhere." He tried to believe his words, for Liz's sake, but he wondered 'what if'..._What if I got the chance to go to my planet? Would I be willing to leave everything I have here? Would I be able to leave the only love I've ever known? Would I be able to leave Liz?_

Isabel had just settled herself in Alex's arms. She was reluctant to leave him for even a minute, and she grumbled when Maria called out that it was her turn to add a log to the fire. She untangled herself, laughing when Alex refused to let her get up.

"Baby, I gotta put a log on the fire."

"Tell Tess to do it." Alex argued.

"She did it last time. Now it's my turn."

"Hurry back."

She made her way over to the gigantic pile of logs that they had bought on their way into the camping grounds. She picked up three of the biggest ones that she could find, carried them over to the fire, and placed them into the red-orange flames. She checked on the little pies that they were making, and, seeing that they weren't done, headed back over to the comfortable spot between Alex's legs.

"Much better," he whispered in her ear as she leaned against his body.

"I'm glad you think so, Mr. Whitman, because I have to agree. I was made to belong in your arms."

"Then you were made very well, my love."

Michael placed his cheek atop Maria's head.

"Why are you so good to me? After everything I put you through?"

"Because, people do crazy things when they're in love."

"Sweetheart, you've been doing crazy things since fifth grade."

"Like I said, people do crazy things when they're in love."

He whipped her around, "Since fifth grade?"

Maria was suddenly nervous. She couldn't look him in the eyes as she nodded her head yes.

"Wow, I'm a very lucky guy..."

"Why's that?"

"Because, I got you." He gazed into her eyes and gently kissed her eye lids, the tip of her nose, and finally her raspberry colored lips.

"Michael, I fall more in love with you every day."

"Ditto, baby, ditto."

Tess kissed Kyle and whispered, "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta check on the pies. Don't want them to burn."

"Check fast."

Tess made her way over to the fire and peeked at the pies. "They're done," she whispered to the happy couples around her. "Someone want to go get Max and Liz?"

"I'll go," Maria said, standing up. "Izzy, will you help Tess with the pies while I go get Max and Liz?"

"Sure."

Max and Liz heard footsteps coming toward them. They quickly untangled themselves from each others' arms as Maria approached.

"Hey, you two. The pies are done. Come on back to the fire. We're missing you."

"Be there in a minute, Maria," Liz answered.

Maria shrugged her shoulders, turned around, and walked the short distance to the other camp site. "They'll be here in a minute," she told Tess.

"Good, cause these smell yummy."

"'Yummy'? Miss Harding, did I just hear you use the word 'yummy'?"

"Be quiet, Kyle." Maria jumped in, defending her new friend, "'Yummy' is a very descriptive word."

"Oh, really? What does it mean?"

"Alex Whitman, you of all people should know. It means 'better than good.'"

"Oh," Michael explained, "I get it now, it's a 'chick-word'."

A battle of the sexes was forming quickly.

Isabel called out to Liz as she arrived, holding Max's hand, "Liz...is 'yummy' a word?"

"Of course," Liz didn't mind a little good-humored battle. "It means 'better than good.'"

"See, Kyle." Tess smiled at him.

"Ok, you guys, enough play flirting with each other. Those pies better be done, otherwise someone had better have a good explanation as to why Liz and I were interrupted." Max said, breaking up the teasing.

"They're done, your royal highness, "Maria mocked. "Here." Maria said, handing two to each of the girls, who promptly carried them over to their seated boyfriends.

"Now, what should we talk about?" Alex asked the group.

"How about we ask Max and Liz to stop making goo-goo eyes at each other and join the rest of us in a conversation?" Kyle suggested.

"I second it," Michael answered.

"I heard that, you guys," Max said.

"Yeah, what're you gonna do about it?" Isabel batted her big blue eyes at her brother.

"Only...this..." Max and Liz began firing marshmallows at their friends, laughing when each couple pulled out a bag of their own and fired them back. Their laughter filled the air well into the night.


	12. In New York

**_Chapter 11: In New York_**

Ava slumped down in the seat, just like Raf and Lonnie had told her to do. She still remembered the words that they had used, **_'Stay down, or you'll be sorry.'_** Ava knew that they weren't bluffing, either. She thought back to the year before. Zan, and Raf were arguing, again, about the meeting that they had been invited to attend. Raf and Lonnie had wanted to go, but Zan, the leader of the four, had pulled rank and refused the invitation.

"They contacted us again last night. Same invite. Gotta tell 'em somethin'." Raf had said.

Zan answered him, "Tell 'em no."

"Yo," Lonnie had said, "you sayin' we ain't goin' to the summit?"

"That's what I'm sayin,'" their leader told her.

"Yo, that's messed up, dude," Raf argued. "This is the only time we've ever been contacted."

"Whatever. That's it." Zan had said.

"We tell 'em no, they won't ask again," she had said.

Zan had looked at Ava then and responded, "Tell 'em _hell_ no."

"Hey, what's up with you, man?" Raf faced off with Zan, "Forget about you. I'll go by myself."

Zan looked over Raf, "They don't want the Number Two. They want the Royal Four."

"Why don't we go and see what they gotta say?" Raf asked. "Why don't we get some answers?"

"What if it's a set-up?" Zan challenged him.

"No, it's not a set-up! They need us!"

The King stiffened up, "I'm the man. Don't forget it."

"Yo, guys," Lonnie jumped in. "It's been a long day, let's just chill."

Raf looked at Zan. "Yeah," he said, "you da man."

Then, Raf and Lonnie pushed him in front of a truck. Ava tried to help him, but she was too late. Zan was dead. That's when they came to Roswell for the first time. They were peaceable, but for some unknown reason, they were back...and Ava had a feeling that she wasn't going to ever make it back to New York. Not alive, anyway.


	13. Changes

**_Chapter 12: Changes_**

It was well after midnight when Max, Liz, Kyle, Tess, Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel finally made their way over to their sleeping bags. They had placed the eight bags in groups of two; one group for each couple. Max and Liz took the spot that they were in before, Tess and Kyle took the corner across from them on the other site. Maria and Michael took the spot directly south of Max and Liz, leaving the spot south of Kyle and Tess for Alex and Isabel. Although the couples went to their little sleeping quarters around midnight, the last couple didn't fall asleep until three-thirty. Liz felt a little guilty about telling her father that the guys would be sleeping on the twenty-first site, while the girls were on the twentieth, but her feelings of doubt quickly fled when she felt Max's arm wrap around her slim waist as she slept, unaware of the changes that were happening to her and her friends...


	14. Just Think It

**_Chapter 13: Just Think It_**

Maria was the first one to wake up on Sunday morning, so she set herself to the task of making blueberry pancakes for everyone. _I wish Michael would wake up and help me,_ she thought absentmindedly.

The words _I wish Michael would wake up and help me _ entered Michael's head as he slept, and he suddenly felt the need to get up.

"What did you say, Maria?" He called out to his little pixie as he neared the small camping stove they'd brought.

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes, you did. I distinctly heard you say, 'I wish Michael would wake up and help me'."

"Michael, I swear, I didn't say...Oh my God!"

"What?"

"I didn't say anything, but I did _think_ that!"

"What do you mean by you 'thought it'?"

"I mean I was making breakfast and I thought how great it would be if you got up and helped me."

"So, you mean that I can hear your thoughts now?"

"I don't know. Let's try it again...see what happens." Maria thought of something that Michael would never know about.

"What do you mean? You once thought that I was going to eat you?"

"Ok. You heard that. Now, you think of something. Let's see if I can hear your thoughts, too."

Michael closed his eyes.

"Oh, really? So, you like my red halter top, do you?"

"Max!" Michael yelled loud enough to wake the dead.

"Michael, what do you want?"

"Go get Liz up. Now! Maria, you get up Alex and Izzy. I'll get Tess and Kyle. We have to test this thing!"

A few minutes later, Kyle, Tess, Liz, Alex, Isabel, and Max were all gathered around Maria and Michael.

"What's going on?" Isabel asked.

"Izzy," Michael said, "think of something."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it."

"Fine." _I wish Alex would put his arms around me._

Alex heard what Isabel had said, even though she didn't say it out loud. He walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. "What's going on?" he asked Maria and Michael. "I heard what she thought."

"Now you try, Alex."

Alex concentrated and wasn't surprised when Isabel leaned over and kissed him. "It worked."

"Ok, Maxwell, your turn..."

After everyone had found out that they could communicate telepathically with their soul mate, they began to try to find a way to control it, and to find a way to be able to communicate with the others. They stopped only when they smelled the pancakes that had started to burn. They sat in silence, talking to each other with their thoughts. They had accomplished their goal, and could not only control the thoughts that they heard, but communicate with everyone in the group as well.


	15. Find Anything

**_ Chapter 14: Find Anything_**

"Shit! Lonnie, did you find anythin'"

"No. How 'bout you?" She asked coming out of the small kitchen.

Raf looked at her like she was insane. "Does it _look_ like I found anythin' to you?"

"No."

"Well then what the hell is you askin' for?"

Lonnie did not like the way this conversation was going. "Hey," she said, "I'm not the one who had the brilliant idea to come back to this two-bit town. Now whose idea was it? Oh, yeah, Raf's. I was the one who wanted to get the location out of them when we brought them to New York, but no-"

"And you went behind my back, and asked Max anyways. Remember. He lied to you, told you that he didn't know where it was, or even _what_ it was...and you, Little Miss Does Nothin' Wrong, believed him...so don't try to push this all on me, here."

"Fine. Where's Ava?"

"In the car."

"Raf, you left her in the car? Unguarded?"

"Don't worry 'bout it, baby. She knows what we'll do if she leaves."

"But, I want her to leave. I wanna have a little fun." Lonnie pouted.

"Don't worry, babe. We'll have fun. We'll rule the whole freakin' world."


	16. The Phone Call

**_Chapter 15: The Phone Call_**

Max and Liz communicated with each other all through breakfast. They had blocked off everyone's thoughts except each other's.

_I love you, Max. _Liz thought

_I am in love with you, Liz Parker. _Max responded.

_Will you two please stop already? I can't hear _myself _think._

_Isabel, go away, _they thought together, hearing laughter from the rest of the gang, realizing that they had heard it too.

"Ok, enough thinking, I gotta talk."

"Ok, Maria." Liz said, "No more thinking."

"That shouldn't be too hard," Alex joked.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Maria replied.

"I knew she couldn't stay quiet for more that fifteen minutes," Michael jumped in. "Only now, I'll hear all her thoughts, too."

Maria lowered her head.

"See what you did, Michael?!?" the whole group chorused.

"Oh, God. Maria, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it. I was only joking." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"I know."

"Maria..."

"Yes, Michael?"

"You knew I was joking?"

"Yep."

"So why with the hiding of the face?"

"So you would kiss me."

"Oh, then hide your face more often then, because as much as I love to see it, I love kissing it even more," he whispered.

"Ok, on other news, I wanna get this all figured out," Liz said, "So, the thing is, when ever we want someone to listen to our thoughts, we think their name, and that will tell everyone else to like shut us out?"

"No, Lizzie. Listen. Let's say that you wanted to talk to Max-"

"Big surprise there."

"Shhh, Michael," Maria said, then turned to Liz, "Say you want to talk to Max. You think of a picture him, and his brain will automatically open up to yours. But if you want to address the whole group, you have to think of a picture of all of us."

"Oh. I get it now. Can we practice some more?"

"Good idea, Liz." Alex said, "I wanna know exactly how this works..."

"Fine," Max joined the conversation, "but, I want everyone to make an oath right now...repeat after me. 'I swear not to use...'"

"'I swear not to use...'" the group mocked.

Max ignored them and continued, "'my new power in any way...'"

"'my new power in any way...'" seven voices followed.

"'that would classify as cheating or dis-honesty.'" Max finished.

"'that would classify as cheating or dis-honesty.'" everyone repeated.

"Good. Now that that's done, let's practice..." Michael thought of Maria and sent her his first message.

It was around five o'clock when Maria's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Maria?"

"Yeah, Mom, it's me."

"Hey, baby. How's everything? Are you warm enough? Do you have enough money?"

"Mom...we're fine. I told you not to worry. Why are you worrying?"

"Well, Jim...Sheriff Valenti told me that he saw Michael, Isabel, and Tess in town earlier, and I was wondering if maybe you guys needed something."

"No, Mom, we're fine. Gotta go." Maria disconnected her phone.

"What's up?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing, Liz." _Hey, everyone? _Maria formed a mental picture of all her friends, _Can you all come to the sites, please?_

_Be right there, baby._ Michael was the first to answer.

_Coming. _Max called out.

_On my way. _Answered Tess.

_Ok. _Kyle's voice rang out in her head.

_Sure. _Isabel said.

_Be there as soon as I can. _Alex finished up the conversation.

"Maria, what's going on?" Liz asked.

Maria held up a finger. "Just wait 'till everyone else gets here."

Amy DeLucca had just gotten off the phone when the oven timer went off. _Oh, good, _she thought. _My pies are done. _The doorbell rang, and Jim Valenti stood there. _And just in time, too..._

"What did you need, Maria?" Max asked, wrapping his arm around Liz's shoulder.

"I just got a call from my mom."

"And..." Kyle asked.

"Well, the Sheriff has informed her that he saw a Michael Guerin, Tess Harding, and Isabel Evans in Roswell, New Mexico this morning."

"Wait-that can't be..."

"Was he sure..."

"Maria, what are you saying..."

"My Dad told your Mom..."

"Hold it, everyone," Max said. "Maria, tell us the whole story. From the beginning."

Maria explained her conversation with her mother.

"It must be Raf, Lonnie, and Ava." Michael said.

Max thought it over, "I agree. And I think that we should get back to Roswell ASAP."

"Let's go." Liz began folding up sleeping bags, with the help of Tess, Maria, and Isabel. The guys picked up all the garbage and walked it to the nearest dumpster. By the time they got back, the girls had all the bags packed, and were loading the cars.

"Hey," Alex called out, "we'll do that. You just get in the car."

In less then ten minutes, the Jeep and the Jetta were loaded up, and on their way to the Ranger's Station. There they got a refund and started on their way back to Roswell.


	17. Something To Eat

**_Chapter 16: Something to Eat_**

Max thought of Michael, who was driving Maria's Jetta.

_Max?_

_Hey, Michael, we need to get something to eat. Everyone in my car's starving._

_Let's stop at the next roadside we see, ok, Maxwell?_

_Got it._

"Max when are we stopping to eat?" Liz asked, still half asleep.

"The next fast-food place we see, Liz."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything." She drifted back to sleep.

"Anything for you, Liz." Max whispered. "Anything."

"Michael, there's a place." Maria whispered.

"Thanks, Maria. Will you tell Max, please?" Michael asked before she realized that she was already forming the connection.

_Max?_

_Yeah? Maria, is that you?_

_Yes. Michael told me to tell you that there is a truck stop a mile or so ahead. Do you see it?_

_Yeah, I see it. Tell everyone to wake up; we'll be stopping in a few minutes._

_Got it._

"Hey, Tess, Kyle, wake up. We're stopping to eat."

"Where are we, Maria?" Tess asked.

"I don't know. Michael?"

"We're about two and a half hours away from Roswell."

"Two and a half hours? You mean it's only eight-thirty?"

"Yeah, Kyle, why?"

"I don't know. It just seems a lot later. I'm so tired."

"Me, too." Maria nodded at Kyle.

"Well, I'm fine." Tess said.

Michael nodded, agreeing with Tess, "We'll ask Max about it when we stop, ok?"

"I thought we were just gonna run in and get something to go."

"We were, Maria, but with you and Kyle so tired, I think we better stop."

"I'll tell Max," Tess volunteered.

"Thanks." Michael smiled at the girl who was quickly becoming part of his family.

"Come on, Liz, Alex. We're stopping." Isabel shook their shoulders, waking up her sleeping friends.

"Why are we stopping, Max?" Liz asked.

"I thought we were just running in and eating in the car." Alex added.

"We were, but Tess asked that we stop. It sounded important."

"Well, ok. But, Max, I really wanted to get home as quick as we could."

"I know, Liz. We'll get there soon, I promise." Max patted her knee as he pulled into the parking lot.


	18. Something's Wrong

**_Chapter 17- Something's Wrong_**

"Michael. I think there's something wrong with Kyle and Maria. They're so pale."

"We're stopping now. They probably just need a bite to eat or something."

_I hope you're right_, Tess thought, _because you and I both know that we would be lost without them._

"Max! It's Alex."

"Hurry, get them inside. Order some food." Max yelled to his sister as he carried Liz into the restaurant. She was so pale. _No, Liz, don't leave me now, _he thought.

"Hi, what can I get ya?"

"Yeah. Hi. We'd like eight cups of coffee, black. Two ice creams, and some fries. And hurry, please."

"Be right back."

Tess and Michael ran into restaurant and scanned the room for Max.

"Maxwell, it's Maria and Kyle."

"Get them in here, Michael. Isabel, Tess, help him. We need them awake."

Isabel gave Alex a kiss on the cheek and jumped up from the booth where she was sitting. Max carried Liz over to a table in the back, and placed her on the booth opposite Alex. "Is my order ready?" he yelled at the waiter.

"The coffee is, sir. Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine. Can you please bring the coffee here?"

"But the rest of the---"

"Just. Do. It."

The tone in Max's voice made the teenager afraid to refuse him. He brought over the eight cups of coffee in two trips. On the last one, the boy looked down at the bodies in the booths.

"Dude," he said, "they look like death."

"No, ya think?"

"Why don't you get 'em to a doctor or something?"

"All they need is food. Michael, over here."

Michael turned and rushed foreword, Maria in his arms. Tess and Isabel followed, both supporting Kyle.

"Yo, kid!" Michael said, "Go get the rest of the order, and the bill."

The teen could barley move. Here were these two huge guys bossing him around, and four others looking like death. He couldn't move.

_Let me try, Michael. _Michael heard Isabel's voice in his head.

"Um, Trent," Isabel read his name tag, "My friends may be very sick. But, they're really scared of going to the doctor. Could you please help us? Could you just go and get the rest of our order and bring it here? Then can you check back in about twenty minutes?"

Trent looked at the girl addressing him. _Man, is she hot!_ "Sure, I'll be right back."

As soon as he left, the aliens each grabbed a cup of coffee. Max walked over to Liz, Tess to Kyle, Michael to Maria, and Isabel to Alex. They raised their heads to drink. When the cups were half gone, and they hadn't woken up yet, Max got worried. _It was black coffee, for Christ's sake, _he thought.


	19. Wakng Up

**_ Chapter 18: Waking Up_**

Isabel was about to break down and call an ambulance when Alex's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh thank God," Isabel whispered****holding his hand like there was no tomorrow. "Alex, you're ok."

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?"

Tess knelt by Kyle. He had woken up a few seconds after Alex. As soon as his eyes looked into hers, Tess vowed never to leave his side as long as he was alive.

"Maria, come on, please, baby, come back to me." Michael pleaded. And, as if she could hear his voice pleading with her to wake up, Maria opened her eyes, and looked at her savior. Michael's eyes shone as he bent down and kissed her cheek.

"Where's Liz?" Maria asked.

"She's...she's not up yet," Michael whispered.

Maria started to cry.


	20. Shutting Down

**_Chapter 19: Shutting Down_**

"Liz, I need you. Please wake up. Please. Isabel. Help me dream walk her."

"Max, I don't know if I can. She's not really sleeping."

"Help. Me."

Isabel connected to Max then to Liz. Instantly they were in her mind.

"LIZ!" Max shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Max, we have to go, something's not right." Isabel begged her brother as she looked around at the black void filling Liz's subconscious. It had scared her at first, but now she was getting sleepy. Somehow the lack of color had an effect on her and she worried that by being there, she and Max were doing more harm then good.

"No. No. No, I'll never leave her."

"Max, you have to." Isabel grabbed his hand and woke up.

"No, Isabel, why did you do that?"

"Something's happening, Max, look." Tess pointed to where Liz's shirt had ridden up a little, exposing her stomach.

"Oh my God! Max. That's where you healed her last year!" Maria's eyes were transfixed on the glowing handprint that had appeared, and disappeared, last year after Max had healed Liz. Now, it was as bright as ever.

"We have to get her awake, now." Tess said.

"What? Why?"

"Alex, her body's shutting down. Something's happened."

"Then why is my handprint there?"

"It's remembering. Her body's remembering about the last time it was shutting down."

"The shooting." Michael said.

"The shooting. If we don't wake her up, it'll be too late."

"Ok, let's think," Kyle said. "How do we wake her up?"

"Try cold! Use the ice cream." Maria said.

"But you all woke up with coffee."

"Liz's body gets no effect from coffee. She gets hyper when she has ice cream or a milkshake or something."

"Yeah, ok. Isabel, hand me that."

Max lifted Liz's head and brought the cup to her lips. It only took two sips of the ice cold, now melted, ice cream before Liz's eyes slowly fluttered opened, and the marks on her stomach faded.

"What's going on?" She asked as Max nearly crushed her with a hug.

Trent chose that moment to come back. "Do you need anything else?" he asked, disappointed when he saw the blonde girl who'd he talked to before kissing some guy. Surprisingly, the four people who'd he saw that were extremely pale and near death before were now wide awake.

"Yeah, we're ready to order. Liz, baby, what would you like?"

And so, Trent took all eight orders, grumbling on the way back to the counter. He glanced at the clock. It read 9:00. He smiled. His shift was over soon.


	21. The Choice

**_ Chapter 20- The Choice_**

"So, what happened?" Maria asked when Trent was out of earshot.

"I'm not sure," Max said. "How about you guys?" he asked Isabel and Michael. They both shook their head no.

"How about you, Tess? Do you know what happened?" Maria turned to her right.

Tess dumbly shook her head yes.

"You knew what had happened, and you didn't tell us?" Max demanded.

"No, I just figured it out."

"Tess, what happened?" Liz asked gently.

"You all went through what Nasedo called 'The Choice'"

"'The Choice'? What the hell is that?"

"Michael." Maria put a hand on his arm, and he calmed down.

"'The Choice' is what happens when an alien falls for a human-"

"What do you mean 'falls'?" Isabel asked.

"I mean falls in love with, or falls into what could very likely become love. When an alien does this, and it happens very rarely, which is why I didn't know it had happened until just now, when it happens, the human goes through 'The Choice'-"

"Yeah, I understand that, but what does it mean?"

"It means, Max, that once the human develops it's first power-"

"The power to hear thoughts." Alex pointed out.

Tess nodded, "Once this power is developed, the human _must_ go through 'The Choice'. 'The Choice' is what separates the alien from the human, unless the love is true and pure, and the alien can think clearly."

"So, you're saying that if the love isn't true and pure, and something goes wrong that-" Kyle stopped.

"Yes. The human dies."

"So, since Maria, Alex, Kyle, and Liz didn't die, then we're free to love them?" Max asked.

"Yes."

"Good," Max said, "'cause I'm not giving her up for anything." He smiled at Liz.

"Now that everything's good...can we eat?"

"Kyle!" Tess put her face in her hands, beyond mortified.


	22. They Had Changed

**_ Chapter 21: They Had Changed_**

The group didn't leave the truck stop until ten-thirty. Trent was still there, and Max left him a huge tip. "I hope that covers what he did," he said, smiling. He knew in his heart that no amount of money would ever be enough.

As Max drove back to Roswell with Liz sitting beside him, and Isabel and Alex in the back, both humans very much alive, and _awake,_ he knew that nothing would ever be the same. They had fought their first battle together, and it had changed them. It seemed as if seeing Maria near death had aged Michael at least ten years. He finally knew how it felt to Max when he saw Liz get shot that day in September. And, he knew about love. Isabel had completely dropped the 'Everyone must worship me' attitude she usually had, and, to Max, it seemed like it would never be coming back. He smiled as he realized that his sister was quickly becoming a mature, loving woman. Tess had finally become one of them, and it seemed to make her happier and more willing to share her knowledge with them. It was a wonderful feeling, acceptance. And, he, Max Evans, had changed the most. He was now proud to call himself the leader of these wonderful people. He felt confident enough to lead them into whatever lay ahead.

Liz thought back to the previous events of that night. Maria, Kyle, Alex, and she had changed. Maria would never again doubt how Michael felt about her, this she knew. And Alex...Alex would never again think that he wasn't what Isabel Evans wanted out of life. Kyle had become a part of the group, and, Liz knew, he would do everything in his power to protect his new family. And she, well, she knew that she and Max were meant to be together. All the doubts had been erased from her mind.

Maria and Michael looked at each other, then at Tess and Kyle who were in the back seat. They opened their minds to them.

Isabel and Alex glanced at the people in the front seat of the Jeep. They weren't surprised to see them sneaking little love-filled glances at each other. They opened their minds to that of Maria, Michael, Kyle, and Tess.

Tess felt Isabel and Michael tugging at her mind. She opened herself up, as did Kyle. Then she shot out a picture of Liz and Max.

Max and Liz opened their minds to their dearest friends. They showed each other pictures from their minds. It was a magical moment as Liz shared the memory of all of them laughing by the fire. Max added a memory that they all knew well; the meeting of Elizabeth. Michael quickly showed a picture of brick walls crumbling down. They all knew that the message was a coded one. The walls were his, the ones that he had put up through the years were coming down. Maria smiled as she showed them throwing marshmallows at each other. Tess added her feelings of being accepted, and Kyle showed himself at peace in the group. Isabel followed Kyle's picture with one of her most favorite memories; seeing her mother. Alex projected the final memory; finally hearing the truth about what was going on. The memory faded, and as the connection ended, everyone thought the same thing: We have changed, and there is no going back.


End file.
